English Archives | The Pimsleur Language Blog https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/tag/english/ Learning another language doesn't have to be hard. Tue, 17 Dec 2024 16:06:30 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 The Speech Sounds that Make English Hard to Learn https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/english-speech-sounds-phonemes/ https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/english-speech-sounds-phonemes/#respond Thu, 05 Aug 2021 14:38:07 +0000 https://blog.pimsleur.com/?p=27117 Uncommon English Speech Sounds that Make the Language Unique Learning how English compares to other languages can actually help us learn other languages.  And it can make us appreciate the wide diversity among the languages of the world. Using WALS, the World Atlas of Language Structures online, as well as this interactive chart of consonants Read More >>

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]]> https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/english-speech-sounds-phonemes/feed/ 0 Fail Your Way to Success: The 5 Best—and Worst—Language Mistakes to Make https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/language-mistakes-to-make/ https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/language-mistakes-to-make/#comments Mon, 23 Nov 2020 13:05:45 +0000 https://blog.pimsleur.com/?p=21554 Why You Need to Make Mistakes to Learn a Language Making Language Mistakes Can be Painful  I’ve lived in Brazil for over a year now, and I still feel embarrassed when I forget how to say, “It was nice to meet you.” in Portuguese. I regularly try to tell stories to my friends and find Read More >>

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]]> https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/language-mistakes-to-make/feed/ 2 Language Politics – How Governments Wield Words https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/language-politics/ https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/language-politics/#respond Tue, 27 Oct 2020 21:21:10 +0000 https://blog.pimsleur.com/?p=20533 Language is a Powerful Tool The vocabulary that makes up our communication systems is so diverse and versatile that it is capable of conveying any and every concept using a spectrum of nuances. Nowhere is this linguistic power harnessed more strongly than in communication between governments and citizens. Fundamentally, governments need to communicate clearly with Read More >>

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]]> https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/language-politics/feed/ 0 What Part of No Don’t You Understand? Origins of the Word “No” https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/origins-of-the-word-no/ https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/origins-of-the-word-no/#respond Mon, 14 Sep 2020 15:27:33 +0000 https://blog.pimsleur.com/?p=19227 The Etymology & Origins of the Word “No” Around the World Every language has a word for it. Some have many. Let’s explore the origins and meaning of no. In English, the word no dates back to Middle English and means “not in any degree, not at all, not ever.” Though it’s a short word with only two Read More >>

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]]> https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/origins-of-the-word-no/feed/ 0 Order From Tragedy: Roget and The Origin Of The First Thesaurus https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/history-rogets-thesaurus/ https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/history-rogets-thesaurus/#respond Thu, 27 Aug 2020 14:56:35 +0000 https://blog.pimsleur.com/?p=18754 Beautiful Tools Borne Out of Less Beautiful Circumstances – Peter Mark Roget (1779-1869) Peter Mark Roget was a remarkable man. A lexicographer whose invention has helped almost everyone who speaks English at some point or another. Don’t believe us? You’ll almost definitely have used an item he created. There may even be one on your Read More >>

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]]> https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/history-rogets-thesaurus/feed/ 0 Use and Abuse of the Word Literally – A Crisis of Language? https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/use-of-word-literally/ https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/use-of-word-literally/#respond Tue, 04 Aug 2020 18:51:35 +0000 https://blog.pimsleur.com/?p=18181 How the Term ‘Literally’ has Changed Over Time “That chili was so hot it literally blew my head off” “She literally flew off the handle” “That person literally makes my blood boil” Literally. It’s the infamous term that infuriates editors, academics, linguists, publishers, and journalists alike, with people using it when they actually mean ‘figuratively’ Read More >>

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]]> https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/use-of-word-literally/feed/ 0 What Are World Englishes? https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/what-are-world-englishes/ https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/what-are-world-englishes/#respond Fri, 17 Jul 2020 01:04:54 +0000 https://blog.pimsleur.com/?p=17499 Lingua Franca – Why English is the Global Language Picture an English speaker. What image pops into your mind? An American shop owner, perhaps? An Australian teenager, Canadian mother, or British businessman? Of course, these are all valid examples of native English speakers. Replicating these accents is the ultimate aim of many English learners. There Read More >>

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]]> https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/what-are-world-englishes/feed/ 0 Talk Like a Brit With Our Favorite British Slang Words https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/british-slang/ https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/british-slang/#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2020 00:52:46 +0000 https://blog.pimsleur.com/?p=17452 UK Slang Terms You Should Start Using  Ever wondered what the difference is between US and UK English? Apart from everyday words—like trainers instead of sneakers and holiday instead of vacation—you’ll see the most difference in the slang.  Language isn’t a set thing. It changes with new words entering everyday use all the time. If Read More >>

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]]> https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/british-slang/feed/ 1 Where Do Accents Come From? https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/where-do-accents-come-from/ https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/where-do-accents-come-from/#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2020 13:34:00 +0000 https://blog.pimsleur.com/?p=16656 The Birth of a New Accent – Antarctic English Accents are truly fascinating. A recent study in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America has found the beginnings of a new English accent among the residents of the British Antarctic Survey, a group of researchers who spend months alone in isolation. Over the course Read More >>

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]]> https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/where-do-accents-come-from/feed/ 1 The 10 Best Travel Books to Satisfy Your Wanderlust https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/best-summer-travel-books/ https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/best-summer-travel-books/#comments Fri, 26 Jun 2020 18:48:20 +0000 https://blog.pimsleur.com/?p=16672 Top Travel Books for Your Summer Staycation Just because we’re stuck at home doesn’t mean the wanderlust goes away. Take a trip around the world from the comfort of your couch with these 10 travel books which explore countries, cultures, and characters from far away lands. Plus, some of them feature language learning, too!  1. Read More >>

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